This invention relates to fishing equipment, more particularly, to a device for adapting a fishing reel and rod for use with a support harness.
It is well known to attach large fishing reels to a harness worn by a fisherman to relieve the fisherman from some of the work involved when fishing, particularly when fighting a fish. Typically, the handle end of the rod is positioned in a receptacle of the harness and the large reel itself has spaced openings formed in it which receive clips associated with straps of the harness. This arrangement can provide complete support for the rod and reel when the straps are tight and the fisherman is not pulling the pole toward him.
The primary reason for using a large reel equipped with clip holes is the fact that such a reel has a large fishing line capacity, in the order of hundreds of yards of line. However, fishing line has been developed relatively recently which is just as strong but has a much smaller diameter. This allows use of a smaller reel for the same length of line.
Most smaller reels do not incorporate the xe2x80x9cclip-onxe2x80x9d holes of larger reels. Thus, a fisherman employing a smaller reel without clip-on holes cannot readily take advantage of a support harness.
A search directed to the present invention located the following United States patents: U.S. Pat. No. 4,815,228, issued Mar. 28, 1989, U.S. Pat. No. 3,750,918, issued Aug. 7, 1973, U.S. Pat. No. 2,499,117, issued Feb. 28, 1950, U.S. Pat. No. 5,573,167, issued Nov. 12, 1996, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,662,251, issued Sep. 2, 1997.
The above-identified patents disclose various arrangements associated with fishing rods and fishing reels utilized for various purposes. However, the patents do not teach or suggest the arrangement disclosed and claimed herein nor do they address the problem solved by the present invention.
The present invention relates to an adaptor for use with a fishing rod and fishing reel to adapt the fishing rod and fishing reel for use with a support harness.
The adaptor is of rigid, unitary construction, including a first segment positionable between the fishing rod and the fishing reel and a second segment spaced from the fishing reel when the first segment is positioned between the fishing rod and the fishing reel.
The first segment defines spaced openings for receiving a pair of threaded connector elements projecting from the fishing reel to maintain the adaptor fixedly positioned relative to the fishing rod and fishing reel.
The second segment is for releasable interconnection to a support harness.
The adaptor is of simple, inexpensive construction and easy to use as well as to install. Hardware associated with the rod and reel is employed in the installation of the adaptor.
Other features, advantages and objects of the present invention will become apparent with reference to the following description and accompanying drawings.